The Third Hokage's Granddaughter
by samurai girl93
Summary: Yuri Sarutobi returns to the very village that she despises and to be head of the very clan that abandoned her years previously.
1. Chapter 1: Homecoming

_**CHAPTER 1**_

"Lady Tsunade?"

Tsunade, the Godaime of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, looked up for her paperwork and cup of sake at Shizune. "What is it Shizune?" she asked with an edge to her voice. _Hm, am I drunk?_ She thought it was just a little after 9 am and her entire bottle of peach sake was almost through.

"She's here Lady Tsunade," said Shizune. Her excitement at the new arrival was evident.

"Who's 'she' Shizune? I really am not in the mood for visitors," Tsunade muttered with a frown.

"Oh for the love of…"started her apprentice who was starting to get fed up with the fact that Tsunade never remembers these trivial details.

Tsunade held up her hand, silencing Shizune. "Look Shizune, save me the melodramatics and just tell me who the hell is here!"

"Miss Sarutobi my Lady."

That got Tsunade's attention. After a year of scouting the terrain of all five lands, she was finally able to track her down. "Send her in now Shizune."

Shizune disappeared and a tall, dark haired young woman strolled in and came to an abrupt halt five feet in front Tsunade's desk. As Tsunade stood up, the girl bowed in respect. Gesturing for the girl to come closer to her, Tsunade walked around to the front of her desk to take in the newcomer's appearance properly. In the past ten years since she had left the village, she had grown taller, and by no doubt colder. By the look of her attire, she had traded her favourite colour, pink, for black and her dolls for the two gold hilted katanas strapped onto her back.

Tsunade offered her a seat and returned to her desk. She grabbed some open files in front of her to browse through while evidently awaiting her visitor to say something. And she did finally breaking the silence.

"I never would have thought I would end up back in this goddamn village, Lady Tsunade."

"Yes, well Yuri whether you like it or not you are back and under your new Hokage's orders," Tsunade replied with a sigh. She raised her eyes from the files she was consulting to the 19 year old elite kunoichi in front of her. "Nevertheless, Yuri, Sarutobi-sensei had preferred that his entire clan remain in and to defend their birth place. After all, the Sarutobi clan has, to this day, remained the most faithful clan as opposed to others in the village."

Yuri snorted, "That's rich. I remember there was a day when old man Sarutobi cursed this blasted village and couldn't wait to ship me of to the Lightening Country the minute I had learnt to hold a kunai."

As the young kunoichi scoffed at the Hokage, Tsunade grumbled angrily.

"Oh I'm sorry Tsunade. I forgot you sucked up to my grandfather so much you would never understand what kind of person my grandfather was or how he treated his family." She pointed a finger at Tsunade and continued hotly, "Don't look at me like that _Lady Hokage_! While I was busy being trained to be a powerful killing machine neither you or Hiruzen Sarutobi did anything to stop my ill-treatment," and with those words she pushed up the sleeves of her coat to show the word 'lightning' written in kanji that had been branded into her skin years earlier.

Tsunade was shocked. She had never realized that this had really happened to Yuri and had refused to believe the rumors of her training.

She had opened her mouth to utter and apology, but Yuri shut her up, "Never mind that. It was years ago and what stays in the past remains in the past so don't worry about it. So are you going to explain to me why I'm really here for?"

Tsunade regained her composure. "As you may know, the Akatsuki have started to mobilize in all of the five great nations in an aid to capture as many tailed-beasts there are in these countries."

"So what you're trying to insinuate is that I help you and the other shinobi of Konoha protect the Nine-Tailed fox? But isn't that Jiraiya's problem? Didn't he make it his business to train Naruto Uzumaki?"

"Yes, but that's not your only job. Your job is the help Might Guy, Kurenai Yuhi, Kakashi Hatake and your uncle Asuma in training their teams. Jiraya is not in Fire country at this moment, so Naruto as returned to Kakashi Hatake's care. Your aim is to make sure that these 10 genin and 1 chunin are promoted the jonin as soon as possible."

Tsunade handed Yuri the files that she was holding. "This has all the information about your new students. I would expect you to be at Training ground 14 tomorrow morning at 8 am sharp. Is there anything else you would like to know before the teams senseis arrive?"

Yuri opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted by Shizune who had announced the arrival of four elite ninja. She stood up and faced the four shinobi, one of which she was already familiar with. Asuma's eyes narrowed on Yuri when their gazes met and suddenly, Yuri felt the hatred within her towards her clan had returned.

The room had become dead silent and the temperature might have dropped by several degrees. Asuma's eyebrow twitched and asked with that lazy yet deadly voice of his, "Lady Hokage, why is she here?"

Before Tsunade could even respond, I answered with my usual cold voice, "I'm here on orders by the Hokage that I was to return to the village immediately."

As we had continued glaring at each other, someone at Asuma's side sifted and patted him on his wrist as if to clam him down. By process of elimination, I had guessed that it was Kurenai Yuhi, the only kunoichi sensei and, by the way she was looking at Asuma, she was his lover. She saw me looking at her and she lowered her eyes to the ground awaiting Tsunade to speak.

I turned to Tsunade and said, "Well I'll be going now. See you tomorrow." And with the Tsunade's permission, I performed the necessary hand signs and left in my usual manner: a swirl of wind and white lily petals.

After Yuri had left, both Kakashi and Guy let out sighs.

"What on earth was that about Asuma?" asked Kakashi as he observed is colleague with his right eye.

Kurenai was still looking at him strangely with her red eyes and asked softly, "Was she Yuri Sarutobi?"

Asuma just looked at her and Kakashi and nodded. He then turned to Tsunade. "Why the hell is she here?" he demanded.

"You all know that our shinobi forces are weak and we need all the help we can get to whip your teams into shape," she calmly answered.

But he persisted. "I understand that but why her of all people? She has been allies with the Cloud village for years now. How are you so sure she would not sell us out to them?"

"Because I trust her," she replied, "and I'm asking that you put aside your family issues for now and try to trust her too. This is to help the village in case of and Akatsuki attack and she can definitely protect Naruto. Also Asuma, I'd like to ask you all permission to inaugurate Yuri as a shinobi of the leaf village in the presence of the council. So do I have it?"

"I'll think about Lady Tsunade."

"Very well then. If there are no more inquires you may all leave."

They all left immediately leaving behind a handful of leaves.

It was 4 pm. The students of the Konoha Ninja Academy were filtering out of their classrooms after what looked like another hard day of ninja training. Yuri Sarutobi sat on the old swing in the academy grounds, observing the young students milling around, clearly looking for someone. After her meeting with Tsunade, she had gone apartment hunting and with Tsunade's financial aid, she was able to purchase a condo over-looking Hokage Monument.

Konohamaru and his two best friends, Udon and Moegi, were the last to exit the building. They all stood a few metres away from Yuri commentating about their day's work.

"What did I tell you guys? Iruka-sensei fell for that trick hands down," laughed Konohamaru and he gave Moegi a high five.

Udon chuckled as well. He then glanced around, clearly looking for his mother only to see the alluring young kunoichi looking over at them. Yuri stared back at him and dragged her heels on the ground making the swing come to a complete stop.

"Uh, Konohamaru, who's she?" asked Udon with a slight shudder.

Konohamaru and Moegi turned in Yuri's direction evidently surprised. Moegi was the first to answer.

"I'm not sure. I haven't seen her before. Have you Konohamaru?" she asked turning to the third's grandson.

Konohamaru immediately started to walk towards the strange lady and said to his friends, "I think so."

Yuri stood up for her seat as Konohamaru neared her. She walked towards the group of advancing youngsters and met them half-way.

Konohamaru stood looking up at the taller ninja. He was silent for a second and then asked, "Who are you?"

A light breeze blew raising Yuri's silky black hair slightly. Her usual cold glares were softened as she replied. "I think you know who I am honorable grandson."

Konohamaru let out a gasp. Moegi and Udon were equally mystified. "Who is she Konohamaru?" they asked.

Konohamaru stared walking backwards. As he did he said with a rush, "No way! It can't be! They said you were dead! It can't be you…." He walked back until he had bumped into another shinobi. It was Asuma.

Asuma sighed at the astonished look on his nephew's face and he removed the cigarette from his mouth to say, "Yes Konohamaru. This is Lady Yuri Sarutobi, Honorable granddaughter of the Third Hokage. Yes Konohamaru. Your sister is alive."

Konohamaru stepped back, away for everyone, and while shaking his head, he sprinted away from them as fast as he could.

* * *

_Hi there! i've just made some improvements to the 1st chapter. please review and give some fedback on this story. I'm new at this and this is my first story. So i hope you enjoy it!_


	2. Chapter 2: Differences of Truth & Lies

_**CHAPTER 2:**_

"Konohamaru wait! Come back! Ah shit…" muttered Asuma as they both looked at the quickly retreating figure. He stuck another cigarette in his mouth before turning to Yuri with an accusing look in his dark eyes.

Yuri raised her eyebrows. "Hey don't look at me like that! I didn't do anything!"

When Asuma didn't answer, she said in a harsh tone, "So, old man Sarutobi told my baby bro I was dead. Why the hell am I not surprised?"

"Look Yuri he had no choice. Konohamaru was only a toddler when father made the decision to send you to the Lightning Country and if he had let it spread around you would have been labeled as a rogue ninja. Not to mention the fact the fact that your name has been in the bingo books for the use of a series of illegal jutsus in Kumogakure since you were nine!"

"Geez it wasn't my fault that the people in the shinobi camp I belonged to was going against the Raikage's word!" Yuri countered hotly. "And just so you know, I was brainwashed by that son of a bitch Moriko. I and the other kunoichi in my camp carried out those same assassinations under his damn mind control jutsu. I was practically a zombie for the entirety of my adolescent life."

"Oh, but you weren't a zombie when you were with the jonin commander of Kumo, huh?" asked Asuma shrewdly.

"That's none of your damn business!" she snapped.

"I guess I've just struck a nerve," said Asuma with a shrug. "Anyhow, _Lady Sarutobi_, I have to go now. So if you will excuse me…"

"Wait, Asuma!" Asuma stopped a few yards away. "I need to speak to Konohamaru. I need to set some stuff straight with him so can you please tell me where I can find him."

"He's staying at the old clan quarters, close to Hokage Monument. You do remember where it is, don't you?"

"Yea I know thanks."

There was a moment of silence between them before Yuri said, "You're new girlfriend's really pretty. Who's she and is it going to last?"

Asuma let out an exasperated sigh that made Yuri chuckle, "Her name's Kurenai. She's a jonin and for your info our relationship is none of your business!"

Yuri pouted at that last remark and with a hasty 'see ya', she proceeded onward towards the Sarutobi clan living quarters.

* * *

"Oh come on! Where is that damn album?"

Konohamaru was busy searching through piles of cardboard boxes that he had dragged out from under his bed for evidence that the woman he saw at the academy was definitely a ghost and his uncle, Asuma, was clearly having the same hallucination as he did. Did his grandfather lie to him? He remembered that day just as well as he remembered his grandfather's funeral two years previously.

_The Hokage had called a meeting with the various members of the council comprising of the heads of the many clans originating from the Hidden leaf. Present was also prominent members of the Sarutobi clan. Konohamaru sat with his sister inside their grandfather's private room. He didn't know or understand anything that was happening and he suddenly become lost in a train of thought._

_They were playing shogi on the floor and it was his move. He had moved a piece absentmindedly which caused him to lose, yet it did not faze him as it usually did. Yuri, a nine year old girl with long dark brown hair and dark eyes, poked his nose causing him to look up at her piercing expression, or what we in the family know as her poker face._

"_Penny for your thoughts."_

_He did not answer her immediately but fixed his attention to the oak paneled door leading to the council's room._

"_What do you think is going on in there?" he asked._

_He looked at his sister and saw the troubled expression on her face. "Onee-chan, are you ok?"_

"_Oh I'm ok Konohamaru." She paused before continuing. "Otouto-san, do you understand our clan's heritage?" _

_He giggled, "Of course not. I'm only three."_

_He chortled at the stern expression on Yuri's face as she stood up and went to the large windows to stare at the world outside._

"_Otouto-san, I know that you won't understand this now but please don't think badly of our family." She said this pleadingly, as though our lives depended on it._

_He got up and skipped to his sister's side and grabbed onto the trail of her frilly pink dress. "What's wrong?" he asked quizzically._

_She took a deep breath and said, "After today you may never see me again. I'm being exiled."_

"_What does that mean?"_

"_It means that you will never see me again."_

_Konohamaru's jaw dropped and before he could even reply, the door to their grandfather's study opened, revealing two members of ANBU. The one wearing the cat porcelain mask beckoned Yuri to follow them. As the girl began to walk towards the door, he grabbed onto his sister's legs and screamed, "Don't go! Please don't go!"_

_The second ANBU released Yuri from her brother's grasped and led her into the council's chambers, locking the doors behind them. Konohamaru stood stunned. It took him a full minute to realize what was really going on. He ran to the oak doors and began to pound his small fists into the doors sobbing and crying her name._

_Especially when he heard her screams echoing from the room…_

He didn't realize it at first that he was crying. Tears were dripping of his chin and then he sensed it. Another chakra presence was in the room. It was very familiar. It was her chakra he sensed.

Konohamaru was known as the biggest trouble maker in his year. He was always called brave by his friends and his senseis, but tonight he did not feel brave at all. He was afraid. He knew a lie when he saw it, yet he never realized that he grew up alone, believing a lie that had wrapped him up tightly in its web.

"Konohamaru."

He heard her voice, yet he still was not brave enough to face her, or rather face what they did to her all those years ago.

"Otouto-san, we need to talk. Please turn around."

He turned to face her but his head was still bowed. Her voice became similar to a shinobi who a just came out of hell; cold and hard. It was demanding yet it still had that childish edge to it that Konohamaru remembered as if he had been hearing it all his life.

"Now that you are old enough to understand, I think I owe you and explanation."

He raised his head slowly taking in the apparition in front of him, from her long sleeved, white shit and black ninja pants with her kunai pouch on her right leg, to her silky black hair. He chanced a look at her face. In the moonlight streaming though his bedroom window, what he saw shocked him. The woman standing in front of him looked exactly like his mother, but with deliberate mistakes; there was a scar above her eyebrow and expression was somewhat cold. She couldn't look at him without glaring, something she had never done as a child. And for some reason this angered him.

"Are you planning on telling me the truth or more lies?" he asked angrily.

Yuri sat on the couch and looked into her brother's face. "I'm just going to state the facts. It's up to you to sort out the truth from the lies. Will you allow me to tell you my side of the story?"

He knew that it was going to hurt, but he nodded anyway and leaned against the wall in front of her.

"You remember when I asked you years ago if you understand our clan's heritage."

"Yeah, I remember."

"For many years, the Sarutobi clan has been divided, not like the Hyuuga clan, which is divided into the main and branch households. Our clan was divided due to gender. Women were always considered lower than the men and the women of our past have always been treated like scum from the minute we were born. They lived in a separate part of our home and never took part in the clan's politics. They were all expected to bear sons for the clan and if any woman had a daughter she was immediately shipped of to another land close to the Lightning Country in the north. Our grandfather was no different. At the age of nine, the council had decided to exile me to this same land called the Land of Poison."

"The land of poison?" asked Konohamaru curiously. "I've never heard of it."

"Yes, well I'm not really surprised. It's a place that not many people know about which is why I was sent there for training."

He interrupted again, "Wait a sec, what training?"

"In the land of Poison, I was enrolled in one of the many Kunoichi barracks headed by one Commander Moriko. He was ruthless. During the first three months, he had locked me in a room were I was repeatedly tortured by his mind control jutsu day in and day out. It was after this 'training' or so he called it, he had branded the word 'Lightning' on my forearm. I had turned me into his puppet just like the other nine girls in my squad and for many years I have trained and killed using jutsus that are forbidden in all five of the great shinobi nations. There were times when I forgot who I was, where I came from and even my family and there was nothing I could do about it."

Konohamaru was speechless. He never realized how harsh the past ten years could have been for her and he was at a loss for words. But there was one thing that confused him. "Ok so now that you've explained that, why didn't grandpa just tell me the truth? Why did he lie and say you were dead?"

"Because otouto-san, what our clan was doing, what the ninja who ran the barracks were doing was illegal. When I was seventeen, the Raikage of the Hidden Cloud Village found out about Commander Moriko's work, he had sent the top jonin from the village to infiltrate the base and take us all out," Konohamaru let out a gasp and Yuri continued with one hand held up to silence him, "only because we were all assassins and were labeled in the bingo books as the worst of the worst."

"So what happened?"

"Well two months after the infiltration, the jonin commander of the Hidden Cloud Village, Commander Hiroshima, figured out that we were just under Moriko's mind control jutsu and he saved us by executing Moriko. In the end, the Raikage gave us our freedom to return to our villages and many of my comrades did."

"But, why didn't you come back home?" he implored.

"_Because_ Konohamaru, I was still facing this feud against the Sarutobi clan leaders and if I had returned I would probably be known as a rogue ninja and have been executed. So the Raikage assured me that I can stay in the Kumo as long as I wished but I had to render my shinobi skills to help the village."

She then paused and asked tentatively, "So, now do you understand otouto-san? Or do you still believe that the lies you were taught was really the truth?"

Konohamaru looked at his sister and saw the same girl ten years ago who had believed in him no matter what and it was because of this he was going to continue trusting her still. So he said, "Yes Onee-chan, I believe you."


	3. Chapter 3: Memories via Dreamland

_**CHAPTER 3:**_

Asuma could not sleep. After seeing his niece go after her younger brother, he went to the pub to drink his way through a bottle of the best whiskey in the Fire Country. At around ten pm, he retired to his small, dingy apartment and immediately fell into his bed. It was not long afterwards that he jumped up, cold sweating from one of the worst yet most realistic dream ever. He was seventeen years old and he had taken part of the clan's decision to exile his niece Yuri to the Land of Poison. It was like déjà vu. He reminisced over the memory while washing is face over the sink in his bathroom.

_He sat on his father's right side since he was his father's only son (Yuri and Konohamaru's father and the Third Hokage's elder child had died years before). The two men from ANBU entered the chambers with the little kunoichi in her white dress trailing behind them, glaring at the members of the council with her dark eyes so similar to her grandfather's. Asuma looked up and saw his father's expression. The old man's eyes were downcast and refused to look at his granddaughter, who has been in his care ever since her parents passed away three years previously. _

_Elder Sarutobi, who resided in a small city on the outskirts of the Hidden leaf, waved at the girl to sit on the floor facing the council and then began to speak to her. "Yuri Sarutobi, you have just turned nine. Am I correct?" Yuri nodded, but this was apparently the wrong thing to do since Elder Sarutobi had barked, "Speak up girl when I am speaking to you!" _

"_Yes, Elder Sarutobi," she responded with a slight edge to her voice._

_Elder Sarutobi then turned to father and asked, "Why haven't you sent her away sooner Hiruzen. Or has the position of Hokage made you soft?"_

_There was a ripple of laughter around the ranks of the council and father spoke up with his eyes downcast, "I preferred not to send her away Elder because I believe the council should change their laws." This caused another round of laughter even louder than before._

"_Silence, you idiots!" shouted Elder Sarutobi, but the council continued chortling at the Hokage's statement. "SILENCE!" he shouted again and this time the council chamber became quiet. He then directed his attention back to Hiruzen Sarutobi. "So you want the clan to change its laws, don't you Hiruzen? And why do you want that Lord Hokage? Pray tell me."_

_Father looked up and glared at the head of the clan. "Elder, you are sending innocent children to their doom by continuing in this ancient way. I, too, was blinded by our family's rules, but you have to admit it is a bit harsh, don't you think?"_

"_Well, well, Hiruzen. You really do care about your granddaughter, don't you?"_

"_Yes I do! Just as much as I care for my only living son Asuma, my grandson, Konohamaru and Yuri's father who had perished in the aftermath of the last Shinobi war. Before he died, my eldest son made me swear that I will never allow you, Elder, or any member of the council to banish his daughter. She is a leaf shinobi and this village is her home just as much as any one of us."_

_Elder Sarutobi was livid since no one in the clan had ever dared to speak to him in this way or to question the clan's laws established by their forefathers. But here was Hiruzen Sarutobi; the present Hokage of the Hidden leaf Village, going against the clan's wishes by sheltering this little, insignificant miscreant on the say so by his deceased son, who was supposed to take the role of the clan's head. _

_The entire chamber was quiet as all the members were waiting for the axe to fall. Elder Sarutobi asked through his clenched, "Well Hiruzen, I'm waiting for you to tell us what is so important about this girl. What is so important of this girl that has caused you to believe that she is important to live here?"_

_Asuma's eyes widened with horror. They didn't actually think they would send Yuri to the Land of Poison with the Hokage against them?_

_Did they?_

_The third Hokage finally stood up and addressed the council. "I have already dispatched Yuri's Academy reports. You have all seen for yourself that she is one of the top students to graduate from the Academy and is supposed to take part in the next Chunin exams as recommended by her sensei. She can be a great asset to this country and village of her birth and I highly doubt that you will disagree with me when I say that her affinity to lightning is extremely rare in this clan since most of us have affinities to fire and earth."_

_Some of the members were clearly impressed, Asuma noted. He nudged his father, "Nice work dad! Apparently Elder didn't inform the council about Yuri's achievements."_

"_Of course he didn't," Hiruzen Sarutobi muttered back, "he's just another power hungry fool. He doesn't care about the rules. The only thing he is worrying about right now is staying in control of the clan. And in his old age!" he added with a snort._

_This had got Asuma's attention. While watching Elder Sarutobi call the council to order, he asked his father, "Why is he so intent on keeping power?"_

"_Think about it Asuma! Who's the next person in line to be head of the Sarutobi clan?"_

_Asuma looked at his father as he gestured with his chin towards the child sitting in the middle of the chambers, whistling to herself and rolling her eyes at the adults, obviously bored._

"_So that's why he's so adamant about banishing Yuri? Yuri's supposed to be head of the clan!"_

"_I will not stand for any of this ridiculousness!" shouted the present head of the clan. "You all know the rules and you, Hiruzen, will be suspended from this council for two months because of your idiocy. I call a vote; all in __favour__ of banishing the brat say 'I'." There was series of 'Is' around the chamber. "Any against?" he asked with some venom in his voice. There were a few outbursts here or there, but it was not convincing enough._

"_Very well. Hiruzen say goodbye to your ward and both of you," he signaled to the to ANBU members, "get that brat out of here!" _

_The ANBU black ops officers held onto the arms of a now sobbing Yuri and were leaving the chambers. Yuri struggled against them and turned back to face her grandfather with tears streaming down her face. The Hokage had, once again, bowed his head in guilt with his eyes clenched shut. Asuma saw the venom in her eyes through her tears as if she swore to herself that if she returned she might just be responsible for a clan massacre similar to the Uchiha's._

_Even though she was already out of sight down the corridor, he could still here her sobs echoing…_

Asuma dried his face with the towel hanging on the rack next to his sink. He looked into the mirror and muttered, "You're wrong Yuri! Father tried his best to help you."

* * *

Yuri tossed and turned in her sleep. A sudden cold breeze flooded through the room causing her to wrap herself tightly into her quilt. Not long after a fine film of sweat built up on her brow caused her, in her restlessness, to kick her duvet of her completely exposing her lean body covered in a short, silk nightgown. For the next hour or so, Yuri thrashed around in her sleep mumbling a strain of unrelated words.

"Moriko," she muttered, "stop now before you get us all killed…."

The memories of her past life in the Land of poison were swirling around in her head like the shifting of glass in a kaleidoscope.

_She awoke in darkness to find herself strapped tightly to a rickety wooden chair in the middle of the cabin. Her head was pounding like crazy and the metallic taste of blood was still fresh in her mouth. She could not remember who she was or how she ended up here. She started to struggle against the leather straps around her wrists when the cabin door flew open and three men entered._

_The tall man with the bald head who had entered last crouched down in front of Yuri. She immediately bent her head and sobbed, "Please don't hurt me anymore!"_

_The other two men sniggered and the man in front of her lifted her chin so that her eyes were level with his dark ones. He stroked her face and said, "Don't worry my dear. If you obey all of orders, you won't give me any reason to punish you. Remember that Yuri Sarutobi!" he released her chin and signaled for the two men to release her from her prison._

The memories shifted again…

_She was standing in front of a group of four kunoichis who were huddled around a small camp fire in the middle of the camp, sharpening katanas and kunai and mending their deteriorating attire. They stopped immediately when they saw the bald man, who was obviously the leader, and stood up in a straight line just like soldiers._

"_This is Yuri Sarutobi," the man started. "She is the newest member of this squad." He then turned to a girl who looked a couple of years older than herself with short red hair. _

"_Noguchi!"_

"_Hai, Commander Moriko."_

"_You are in charge of training this team and making sure the Yuri here, picks up everything she needs to. Do you understand?"_

"_Hai, Commander."_

"_Good! Get some sleep. I expect everyone to be up at five hundred hours sharp."_

"_Hai, commander," they rest of the girls chanted. _

_When Commander Moriko had left, the girls beckoned Yuri to sit with them around the fire. The redhead girl spoke first. "Are you hungry Yuri? Would you like some miso soup?" She nodded her head and practically inhaled half of the soup. The other girls giggled and another girl with dark brown hair, like hers, commented, "You really must be hungry. How long did they keep you in interrogation?"_

"_I can't remember anything. If the Commander didn't tell me my name before I wouldn't have remembered."_

"_You poor thing! Don't worry it will come back to you sooner than you think," replied the redhead. "By the way I'm Kira Noguchi." She pointed to the other girls around her. "This is Misora Ishimaru, Kiyoshi Nakanishi, Rinako Hiroshima and Seiko Mizutani."_

_Yuri nodded to the girls and the girls mirrored her. Misora was the dark haired girl. Kiyoshi was the blond and she was so thin she looked fragile. Rinako was the girl who was sharpening her katana before. She had an air about her that she could kill anyone and anything easily. She also looked the most experienced in the bunch. Seiko's blue hair and amber eyes made her appear as the clown in the group. But her aim was so deadly accurate Yuri swore that she would never cross the girl. _

The memories shifted again so that she was seventeen…

_The five girls ran through the forest and were closing in on the merchant they were hired to assassinate, who were camping in the clearing. Kira gave the signal. Yuri drew her gold hilted katana from her back and she and the other girls entered the clearing and proceed to slash every human being to death. The minute her katana slashed the merchant, he was transformed into a log._

_Yuri swore under her breath and shouted to the other girls, "Let's get the hell out of here! It's a trap!" A kunai with a paper bomb stuck to it flew in front of her face and she immediately flipped backwards a few meters only to find her self caught in battle with a jonin from the Hidden Cloud Village._

_He did a couple of hand signs so fast she could not recognize theme and then shouted, "Lightning Release: Electromagnetic Murder!"_

_She felt a huge shock wave through her body causing her to be instantaneously knocked out with her attacker's good looking face watching her._

Yuri sat up straight in her bed, breathing hard. Her left hand gripped the sheets next to her while her right hand fingered the gold ring on the chain around her neck. When she had regained control of her breathing, she slipped off the bed and stood in front of her open window. She read the inscription on it and smiled.

"I almost forgot that you had almost killed me with that jutsu, Daichi, my love."


	4. Chapter 4: Acquaintances & Meetings

**Disclamer: I do not own any of the original Naruto characters.**

* * *

_**CHAPTER 4:**_

The alarm clock went off at exactly 6 am. Yuri cracked one dark eye open to stare at it. She turned over on her back and counted to ten, expecting the alarm to stop for itself.

_1, 2, 3…_

After that ridiculous déjà vu type dream/nightmare, she couldn't sleep properly for the rest of the night without picturing Moriko or her blood splattered hands after many of kills she took part in.

_4, 5, 6…_

She was tired as hell and she still had to meet Lady Tsunade at 7:30 am sharp and then go to Training ground 14 for 8 am and besides, being late was not her style. But why was she still feeling so lazy this morning? Did a change of scenery induce this? She would get up in a sec.

_7, 8, 9…_

Hold on though. Is that damn alarm still going off?

_10!_

Yuri grabbed the device and pelted to the opposite end of the room close to the door. The clock hit the wall and it ricocheted of it and fell to the ground with a satisfying crash. Yuri fell back onto the bed and pressed her pillow onto her face when she heard someone knocking on her front door.

"If I stay as quiet as possible they might just go away," she mumbled through the pillow.

The knocking finally ceased and she breathed a sigh of relief. She smiled in satisfaction as she removed the pillow from her face, and was about to turn over and return to dreamland when she heard the creaking of the staircase. Her eyes flew back open.

Someone was coming upstairs. To her room!

Her natural killer instinct caused her to reach for the kunai hidden under the pillow below her head. She spun over as the bedroom door opened and she immediately flung the kunai at the intruder.

The intruder ducked and swore. The door flew open to reveal a disgruntled Konohamaru looking back at the kunai sticking out of the wall behind him. Konohamaru looked at Yuri and yelped, "Yuri what the hell!"

"I was going to ask you the same question. What the hell are you doing at my house so damn early, kid?"

Konohamaru dropped his knapsack on the ground and jumped on the bed next to his sister, while she scowled at him. "Well I have school in about an hour and I know that you have a meeting with the Hokage early this morning, so I was wondering whether or not you wanted to have breakfast with me. And there are some people I want you to meet at the Academy."

"Like?"

"Well there're my friends, Udon and Moegi. And my teacher, Iruka-sensei," he added after some thought. "And when Naruto comes back, I really want you to meet him."

"Oh yeah?" Yuri grunted, as she swung herself of the mattress to brush her teeth and get ready. "What's so great about him?"

"What's great about _the boss_? He is such an awesome ninja! Before he left, he was the only genin who can do the Shadow Clone jutsu."

Yuri, who was searching through her linen drawer, turned her head to frown at her brother. "I thought that jutsu was a jonin level jutsu?"

"Yeah it is but, the boss learned it nevertheless," said Konohamaru with a shrug.

Yuri returned to the task at hand but kept her brother talking. _This Naruto kid intrigues me_. "What else can you tell me about your friend, otouto-san?"

"Well he did make it to the final round of the Chunin exams two years ago."

"Oh, so he's a Chunin, now," said Yuri, remembering Tsunade saying that one of the rookies were a Chunin.

"Actually no. He's still a genin. He was supposed to advance to the next stage of round three but the exams were cancelled."

"Oh, why was that?" asked Yuri, absentmindedly, as she examined her freshly laundered ninja attire in her wardrobe.

"Because that was when Orochimaru attacked the village and …. um…." Konohamaru's voice had died out at the end and Yuri turned around, with her clothes hanging over her shoulder.

The boy's eyes were filled with tears and were threatening to spill over his cheeks. It was then Yuri understood and asked in a hushed voice, "He killed him didn't he, otouto-san? Orochimaru was the one who killed the old man, wasn't it?"

Konohamaru's tear glazed eyes met his sister's dark ones that reminded him so much of their grandfather's. This was the only way he could answer her without bursting into tears that should have been dried up years ago. But lately these emotions had returned. Maybe it was because the sudden reappearance of his sister that had caused old wounds in his heart to suddenly reopen and bleed once again. But he was a shinobi and one of the most important rules shinobi learnt at the academy is to never let your personal emotions get the better of you. When your friends and family members die on a mission or facing whatever enemy, you should be able to stand at the memorial and not succumb to your feelings, for their memory's sake. But Konohamaru could not help it. His grandfather's death hit him harder than any other tragedy.

Yuri stooped in front of him and put her hands on his shoulders. She was going to hug him but the memories of her past life as a kunoichi assassin was still fresh in her mind and her hard demeanor caused by it, prevented that. She was at a loss of what to say so she just muttered to him, "Trust me little brother; the pain will ease with age and it will get easier for you to move on."

She stood up and headed for the bathroom. She stopped outside her room staring at the kunai still lodged in the wall. She smirked and pulled it out and placed it in her kunai pouch. She glanced back at the young adolescent still sitting on her bed, staring at the floor while scuffing his shoes on the said floor.

"Hey kid, I'm going to get dressed as fast as I could. Wait downstairs for me will ya?"

Konohamaru nodded and he grabbed his school bag and headed down the stairs as Yuri shut the bathroom door.

* * *

"You must be kidding me!"

Ten minutes later, they were standing in front of none other that Ichiraku's Ramen stand.

Yuri, in her Leaf village jonin clothes, (i.e. blue shirt, blue trousers and green vest), turned to look at brother. "Kid I think you've finally cracked. Ramen for breakfast!"

"What? It's really good," he countered. "Come on Yuri, my ramen's getting cold." And with that he entered the booth.

Yuri had no choice but to follow. She sighed and rolled her eyes as she entered. They ordered a bowl of pork ramen each and settled down to eat. It actually tasted good, but it was still weird that someone, like her brother, to be eating something as heavy as ramen, which is usually eaten for lunch, at this time of the day. She played with her noodles while watching Konohamaru slurp down his bowl in two minutes flat.

"What's wrong sis?" he asked licking some of the remnants of his face.

"When did you start eating like this kid?"

"Well since I had started hanging out with the boss, I kinda got addicted to it."

"You mean Naruto?"

"Yup!"

_I seriously need to meet this kid_, Yuri thought as she stared at the wall behind Ayame, who was serving another customer she did not recognize. She dipped her chopsticks into the bowl before, only to realize that it was empty and Konohamaru was busy wiping his mouth with a napkin, while chatting away with the stranger sitting next to him.

She was about to clobber Konohamaru for eating her entire bowl, when she noticed the man he was talking to. The man looked as though he was a couple of years younger than Asuma, but he certainly looked wiser than him. He had his dark hair in a ponytail with a distinctive scar on his face, stretching across his nose bridge. He was laughing at some ridiculous comment Konohamaru had made when he saw Yuri looking at him. His laughing fit ceased immediately as he looked into Yuri's dark eyes. Yuri raised an eyebrow and a blush came onto his face.

Konohamaru was now waving his hand in front of his face. "Earth to sensei, earth to sensei. Come in Iruka-sensei."

"What?" Iruka stuttered. He was still watching Yuri intently. Yuri sniggered to herself. She turned her head away from her brother's companion and lifted her glass of water to her lips while she brushed back a strand of her hair from her face.

Konohamaru finally caught on. "Hey Iruka-sensei, whatcha looking at?" he said as he followed his teacher's line of sight which rested on his sister. Yuri was looking at him from the corner of her eye; clearly not a good sign.

"Oh I'm sorry Iruka-sensei. I almost forgot! This is my older sister, Yuri. Yuri this is my teacher at the Academy, Iruka Umino."

_Oh, so this is his teacher_, she thought. Out loud she said, "It's nice to meet you, Iruka Umino." She held out a hand.

"Uh, it's um n-n-nice to me-et y-you, Miss Sarutobi," Iruka stuttered, his eyes downcast. _So this is the new head of the Sarutobi clan lady Tsunade was speaking of_, he thought while he shook Yuri's hand. _Wait a sec, why am I stuttering like a love sick teenager?_ Iruka took a deep breath and chanced a look at her face. _She certainly doesn't look like Konohamaru or Asuma or her grandfather, but her eyes definitely show that she is a Sarutobi._

Konohamaru saw the blush across his sensei's face and cleared his throat. When he didn't get a reaction from either adult, he shouted, "Iruka-sensei your flies are down!"

Ayame, who was handling the dirty ramen bowls, dropped them when she heard that comment, and hid behind the counter, embarrassed. Passers-by outside the ramen stand stood staring at Iruka, who had immediately dropped Yuri's hand to check his clothing.

Yuri's face had also turned red and she turned on her brother. She hit him on his head and chastised him for being an idiot as he yelped in pain. By this time Iruka had calmed down and the chortling crowd had finally dispersed. Yuri checked her watch it was twenty-five minutes past seven. Yuri bowed towards Iruka and ordered Konohamaru to pay for the meal as she disappeared in a shower of white lily petals, but not before she had heard Konohamaru ask Iruka, "Hey sensei, why the heck were you looking at my sister like that?"

* * *

Shizune was the one who opened the door to the Hokage's office and led Yuri inside. Tsunade had a cup of sake in one hand and was using the other hand to riffle through some files on her desk.

"Good morning Lady Hokage," Yuri said with a bow to her superior.

Without looking up from the papers she was going through, she motioned me to sit in the seat in front of her desk while took another sip from her cup. Shizune was now standing next to the Hokage, awaiting her next instructions.

Tsunade closed the files and passed them to me. "These," she started, "are the stats of all four genin teams under the care of Kakashi Hatake, Might Guy, Kurenai Yuhi and Asuma Sarutobi."

"May I?" Yuri asked, gesturing to the thick file in front of her.

"Oh sure be my guest," responded Tsunade and she sat back in her chair, refilling her cup while Yuri opened the file.

The first team stats she went through, was Guy's team. Guy's team comprised of the oldest of the ten genin and one chunin. The first ninja's name popped out at her. "Neji Hyuga," she read out loud, "experienced in short ranged and defensive attacks. Excellent in taijutsu and ninjutsu; a bit weak in genjutsu…"

"Well he is one of the best to come out of the Hyuga clan, don't you think?"

"What do you mean?"

"According to Lord Hiashi Hyuga, head of the Hyuga clan, their kekkai genkkai has found its purest form in Neji, even though he is a member of the branched household. And there is a mistake in my files as you can see. I was trying to correct it before you came in."

"What do you mean Lady Tsunade?"

"Neji is a chunin, but since he is so talented he was recommended to be promoted to jonin a couple of months after he became a chunin. And since the jonin exams are in two months I didn't even bother to class him as a chunin, usually because of all this damn paperwork," she explained, gesturing to the stacks of papers on and around her desk.

"That's alright. So now I have two chunins and 9 genins, then."

Tsunade nodded and Yuri continued through team Guy's portfolio. She glanced at the size of the files she was holding and sighed. _This is going to take a while!_

_Yuri's POV_

The other two members of Guy's team were also very peculiar and powerful. The girl, Tenten, was the youngest weaponry mistress in the entire damn village, maybe even the country! Her ninjutsu and taijutsu was evenly balanced, but it would seem that she, just like Neji, lacked in genjutsu because of her chakra type. The peculiar part of this team was its next constituent, Rock Lee, who looked like a mini-Guy, down to his bushy eyebrows and ridiculous bowl hair cut. But he was certainly interesting though; giving that he can only use taijutsu. _Well I will certainly have fun making this kid sweat!_

The other chunin, Shikamaru Nara wasn't really a shocker since I was informed that his father is the jonin commander and he was the only kid that was made a chunin when the Third Hokage had gotten killed. His sensei was, just my luck, Asuma and his other team members, Ino Yamanaka and Chouji Akimichi are the children of his father's friends, making them the second generation Ino-Shika-Cho.

Kurenai's squad consisted of an Inuzuka, and Aburame and another Hyuga. Kiba Inuzuka, by the looks of his records, was not as great as the other members of his family, but his long range ninjutsu, like Fang over Fang, had certainly improved over time. Shino was clearly the most powerful of the three and the mastery of the Aburame clan's special bug techniques was certainly something I couldn't analyse or help him develop. Hinata Hyuga, _Ah another Hyuga_, was not as great as her older cousin Neji (which was weird seeing as that she is a Hyuga main family member), but she was definitely the most improved of her squad by perfecting her own version of some family jutsu called Eight Trigrams Sixty-four Palms.

Kakashi's team had the person I was very much looking forward to meeting. "Naruto Uzumaki," I read aloud to get the Hokage's attention, "taijutsu – average, ninjutsu – ok with the exception that he knows a couple of jonin level jutsu, like multiple Shadow Clones and Rasengan. My question is how the heck did he learn those jutsus?"

"I'm not entirely sure how Naruto learnt to do Shadow Clone jutsu, but from what I heard, someone within our ranks tricked Naruto into stealing a sacred scroll for him, and naturally the boy read the scroll thus enabling him to perfect his Shadow clones. As for the Rasengan, Jiraya taught him," she concluded simply and took another sip from her sake.

"What business does Jiraya have with this kid?" I asked skeptically.

"I think I'll let Jiraya explain that to you when he and Naruto return next month," she responded.

I continued looking through Team seven's statistical report. My eyes skated over the pink haired kunoichi, Sakura Haruno. "Ah finally someone who could use genjutsu!" I exclaimed.

"Sakura?" Tsunade enquired.

"Yeah, I was kind of worried that no one in this year group would have the affinity to genjutsu."

"Well Sakura's a natural when it comes to genjutsu. I should know," she said smugly.

"Why's that?"

"Both Sakura and Ino Yamanaka have been training under me for the past two years. Medical ninjutsu, Yuri," she added when she saw my confused look.

"Oh well I guess you have both Sakura and Ino covered, then."

"Mostly, but I still want you to help them improve their taijutsu. It seriously needs work."

I nodded my consent and turned the page. The next person's name popped out at me. "Sasuke Uchiha," I muttered as I ran my finger across his name in kanji.

"He left," Tsunade said shortly. Evidently she heard me.

"Why did he leave?"

"Orochimaru offered him power to kill his brother and avenge his clan and abruptly after he attacked the village, he left. Every attempt to capture him was a failure. He is now a rouge ninja."

"Okay, then well I'm done with this," I said, handing Tsunade back the files. "So what now?"

Four 'poofs' were heard behind me I sensed that all four senseis were behind me. Without turning around, I stood up from my chair.

"Well Yuri, guess it's time for you to meet the squads."

* * *

**Author's note:** I hope you all aren't bored with this chapter, since it contains info we all know. But most importantly, Yuri isn't aware of what's going on so this is like a learning experience for her. Hope you like my story so far. Please comment! Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Thanks!


	5. Chapter 5: Rumor

_**CHAPTER 5:**_

It was a cool clear day, not many clouds in the sky, and Shikamaru Nara lay lazily on the grass, staring up into the sky. He closed his eyes and sighed, trying to drown out the noise caused by his team mates who were making quite a racket close by. _What a drag_, he thought. _What in the world is Asuma up to? He told us to be here for 8 am sharp, but for what? It better not be another mission – that's just too troublesome!_ He sighed again and opened one lazy eye to gaze at Ino, who was now lecturing Chouji about the benefits of dieting as opposed to eating Korean Barbecue twice a day, and Chouji, who was remarking that if she stopped dieting that she might just be able to give Sakura, Tenten or Hinata any competition in the 'hot body' department. Shikamaru closed his eyes with a snicker at Ino's immediate outburst of 'How the hell could you compare me to Sakura! The only thing curvaceous about her body is that damn billboard she calls a FOREHEAD!'

Ino's words were cut short by another voice that was also in the vicinity. _By process of elimination, that voice means Sakura is here as well_, thought Shikamaru who refused to open is eyes, predicting that the bickering between the two rivals was not to be interfered with if you wish to live!

"Uh, Ino I think you should shut up now."

"Why should I? It's not like billboard brow's hearing me is she?" asked Ino completely oblivious to the red-faced girl standing behind her.

"Well, for starters I would appreciate if you don't bad talk me behind my back, Ino Pig!" hollered Sakura.

"Trust me billboard brow, I was just stating the obvious," replied Ino with a smirk.

Sakura was now riled up and she added with a growl, "Why you little…."

And so they continued, with Chouji sitting on the ground looking at the bickering teens as though they were a soap opera, and Shikamaru totally ignoring the girls. He looked back up into the clouds and muttered to himself, "Sometimes I really wish I was a cloud instead of having to deal with this," he gestured towards Ino and Sakura, "every single damn time those two cross paths." He sighed again and silently stared up into the sky when he sensed someone else's chakra.

He sat up only to see Team Gai walking towards them. Sakura and Ino were about to resort to punches and Tenten and Rock Lee immediately grabbed both girls.

"Guys knock it off!" shouted Tenten, as she struggled with Ino.

"Really, Sakura and Ino, this rivalry you both share is ridiculous," added Lee. "I mean I'm all for friendly rivalry but…" added Lee.

Sakura snarled and replied, "Ino needs to learn respect."

"Yeah, and Sakura needs to learn how to hide that hideous thing she calls a forehead," snapped Ino, causing Sakura to break free from the taijutsu-user's grasp, and launched herself on Ino and poor Tenten. The three girls fell into a pile and staring pummeling each other (Tenten had joined in the fight since Ino had hit her for holding her back). Lee and Chouji, who had dropped his empty bag of chips, started towards the girls in order to break up the fight, but Neji Hyuga, who was leaning against a nearby tree, stopped them.

"If you both value your lives, you should stay out of this, and let our new jonin instructor set them straight when he arrives," he said.

This had gotten Shikamaru's attention. He sat up and asked, "What are you talking about Neji?

"Rumor has it that a ninja from one of the other countries, with origins here in the Hidden Leaf village, has returned under the strict orders by the Hokage. Apparently, Lady Hokage thinks that this person would be able to fine tune our shinobi tactics better than our own jonin senseis."

"She does huh?" Shikamaru replied, as he pushed himself back into his previous lying position. "Yeah, well, we'll see about it."

Neji grunted in response. Shikamaru then remembered something he found out a couple of days ago. "Hey Neji, I saw your name was on the list of qualified chunin registered to take part in the jonin exams. Good luck!"

"Thanks," replied Neji, "but I also saw your name on the list Shikamaru. Aren't you going to contest the exams?"

"Nah, too troublesome!"

"Keep talking like that and you'll stay a chunin forever. But you never know; this new instructor might whip your ass in shape for the jonin exams," Neji added with a smirk.

"I highly doubt that. If Asuma and my dad can't do it, then this dude doesn't stand a chance," he said with a snort.

Neji chortled as three more figures approached the clearing; Team Kurenai.

Hinata walked up to the fighting girls and asked in her usual timid manner, "Sakura, I-Ino, Tenten, what's going on?"

Tenten finally regained composure of herself and shrieked, "Hinata get me outta here!"

Hinata ran up to the screeching pile on the grass and grabbed Tenten's outstretched arm and pulled. The weaponry mistress emerged from the fight with scratches on her face and arms and one of her buns was undone leaving her brown hair flowing down in a long ponytail.

"Thanks Hinata," she said fixing her hair.

"N-no problem," Hinata stuttered in response.

Kiba had found a stick on the ground and was immediately engrossed in a game of catch with Akamaru, while Shino sat on the next to Chouji.

Everyone was still watching the fighting girls, when a distinct 'poof' was heard with four more following behind. Everyone stood up to see the Godaime, Lady Tsunade herself, standing in front of their senseis, who all looked seriously weaker standing behind this powerhouse of a woman. And with the Copy Ninja Kakashi Hatake, as one of those standing behind her, that was just saying something! Everyone sweat dropped when Tsunade glared at Ino and Sakura.

Hinata stuttered out of the corner of her mouth, "Um… Ino, S-sakura I think you should stop now."

Sakura had Ino pinned down onto the grass with on fist raised and she snarled a 'why' at the shy Hyuga. "Give me one good reason why I should let Pig go. I'm sick and tired of her voice!"

"Well Sakura, Ino, I guess me teaching you _ladies_ my best jutsu isn't worth it since my opinion of you is way lower now that I have seen you both in action," the Hokage said gritting her teeth.

Sakura and Ino immediately stopped tugging at each other's hair and scrambled to their feet. They bowed and said in unison, "We apologize, my lady."

"Well I should hope so, because you are both embarrassing yourselves, your village and you Hokage and Senseis in front of a respectable member of this village and by extension the Fire and Lightning countries."

Everyone started to mutter under their breaths at this new bit of information. Kiba and Lee were tiptoeing and looking over their jonin senseis' shoulders to see this mentioned person, and Shikamaru and Neji shared a look with each other that meant that Lady Tsunade had just confirmed the outgoing rumor.

After everyone had quieted down, Neji directed his question to the Hokage. "Who is this person of importance Lady Hokage?"

Tsunade stood in front of the group of young shinobi and, for everyone's benefit, directed her answer to them. "As I am sure you all have heard, that that a shinobi from a foreign land has returned to her birthplace to attain her rights as the head of her clan, even though she has been living outside the village for a number of years."

"But wouldn't that make this person a rouge ninja, since she has left the village, Lady Tsunade?" asked Sakura, confirming everyone's confusion.

"No, she left the village and took up asylum with this other village with signed consent of her clan and the then Hokage, the Sandaime. But besides this ninja is extremely skilled and in recent times, her skills and advanced ninja techniques would definitely be beneficial to your own development."

Neji was the next person to interject. "Out of all respect, ma'am, but who the hell is this person, and what makes him any more qualified to teach us that our own senseis?"

"Well, Mr. Hyuga, this young kunoichi… Yes Hyuga, you heard me right," she added when Neji frowned, "… she is a known S-class assassin and is found in every bingo book across the Five great Shinobi Nations. She's so good I think that she could probably give our own Copy Ninja a run for his money," she said with a smirk in Kakashi's direction as Asuma snickered.

"But my Lady, if she's so dangerous, why did you give her leeway to reside in this village?" asked Sakura, while the others nodded in agreement.

"_Because_ she is a leaf shinobi. Weren't you all listening to what I've been saying? She has returned to take her place as the head of one of the most influential clans in Konoha."

"And which clan is that?" questioned Shikamaru.

Tsunade glanced at Asuma who replied, "The Sarutobi clan, Shikamaru. This mystery person is a member of my clan."

"What are you talking about, Asuma-sensei?" inquired Ino.

"Yeah, and why didn't you tell us someone from you family's so damn powerful, Asuma? I mean we are you teammates!" added Chouji.

Shikamaru shook his head and said to his teammates, "Guys this is not the issue here. Asuma doesn't have to tell us one damn thing about his family." He then turned to Asuma and asked, "Asuma who the hell is this person?"

Tsunade stepped back a bit and was observing Asuma just like the other jonin and chunin present. He hated being in the centre of attention like this, so he just sighed and said, "Her name is Lady Yuri Sarutobi. She's nineteen and she's … uh…"

"She's what Asuma-sensei?" pestered Ino.

But Asuma couldn't answer since there was a gust of wind and a cyclone of white lily petals. When the gust had settled and the cyclone of petals diminish and fell to the ground, a tall, bronze skinned, young kunoichi wearing a jonin outfit was revealed.

She took a step closer to the group of young shinobi. Everyone gasped; it was evident that she was a member of the Sarutobi clan because her resemblance to Asuma was ridiculous!

Everyone held their breath when she opened her mouth to speak. "Yes my name is Yuri Sarutobi; you don't have to refer to me as Lady Sarutobi, I haven't been inaugurated yet. You all should also know that I am the granddaughter of the late Sandaime and Asuma's niece."

No one made a sound and Yuri laughed.

"Um, I think you all can breathe now. You should see your faces. You're all turning red!" she exclaimed while she continued to chortle.


	6. Chapter 6: Shockwaves

_**CHAPTER 6:**_

Asuma rolled his eyes at the kunoichi who had just shown up and was now chuckling at the expression on his and his friends' students' faces. He sighed and said, "Yuri, knock it of will ya? You're scaring our students."

Yuri looked at her uncle from the corner of her eye and smirked. "Shinobi aren't supposed to be afraid of a little laughter, regardless of what the ninja handbook says."

"Yea, but _your_ laughter is scaring even me. So, stop it!" Asuma replied, while dusting off some excess ash from his cigarette.

Yuri snickered again and then said out loud, "So these are the rookies huh?"

Gai interjected, "Actually Lady Sarutobi, my students are a year older than the others."

"Yes but the point is they're all on the same level. Well, except the young man lounge by that tree. Am I right Mr. Hyuga?" she said making eye contact with the long-haired teen with the Byakugan eyes.

Neji looked at her smugly and replied, "You are."

But this wasn't the response she wanted. Yuri disliked complacent people immensely and she would not tolerate this type of attitude. So the kunoichi glared dangerously at Neji and said, "Wipe that smirk of your face Hyuga. You are no longer dealing with your soft-hearted sensei. You are dealing with me!"

Neji still didn't stir. Inwardly he wanted to provoke Yuri to actually see what she was capable of and to see if the rumors were actually true – that she was an S-class shinobi assassin. "We don't know a thing about Lady Sarutobi, and out of all respect, I don't think that you are able to meet up with our senseis' training standards."

He really crossed the line with that! Gai's thick, caterpillar-like eyebrows rose until it reached his hairline. He was staring at Neji as if to say, 'Stop talking now if you value your life!' Asuma groaned out loud and said to himself _Geez Neji's in for it this time. It's only a matter of time until Yuri snaps._

The rest of the rookies were looking at Neji and whispering at him.

"Neji what the hell are you doing?"

"Do you want us to get killed or didn't you listen to the rumors properly?"

"I heard that she massacred an entire village single-handedly with those very same katanas she has on her back."

The whispering was getting out of hand so Yuri took the opportunity to silence everyone. When everyone turned to face her again, she said, "So Neji Hyuga, you think that my reputation was exaggerated huh? Care to test out that theory of yours?"

Asuma sighed again while looking at the expressions on Yuri's and Neji's faces; calculating and complacent. They looked as though they were about to attack each other. Neji's hand twitched close to his kunai thigh pouch while Yuri reached for her gold-hilted katana. Immediately, Shikamaru realized what was going on and shouted to the other ten young ninjas, "Uh, guys? If you value your lives you should move now!"

The teenagers and their senseis, including Tsunade, stepped back behind the trees while Gai was still watching Neji as if to say _Neji you don't know what you're getting yourself into!_ Neji pushed off from the tree trunk he was leaning on and Yuri walked forward until they were facing each other, about ten meters apart.

Yuri's eyes narrowed on Neji as he activated his Byakugan and thought _I'm going to wipe that smirk of that little punk's face!_ She did a couple of hand signs and disappeared once more in a cyclone of lily petals. Neji was at a loss of what to do. It looked as though she had activated a genjutsu like Kurenai usually did, but when he shouted 'Release' nothing happened. He readied himself in a defensive position to guard himself from any attack.

Immediately about a dozen kunai and shuriken was thrown at him from every direction and Neji automatically shouted, "Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation!" While he was dodging her weapons in the tornado of chakra, Yuri jumped behind him and quickly did a couple of hand signs – Boar, Ram, Snake, Horse, Dragon – and then shouted just as Neji's Rotation died away, "Lightning Release: Electromagnetic Murder!"

He felt the shockwaves pouring through his every pore, moving from cell to cell, causing instant paralysis of his body, shutting down his chakra network and then his nervous system. Before he knew it, he was lying on the ground unconscious awaiting death, while writhing in pure agony. It was the worst thing he had ever felt in his entire life as a shinobi.

He sensed someone's presence near his head, but couldn't make it out since the jutsu and knocked out his chakra system. The person was placing something cold on his forehead and he it was tricking down his face and past his temples. He opened his eyes slowly only to see a pair of lavender eyes down at him.

"Hinata? What's going on?" he stuttered and as he made is way to sit up, his body instantaneously started to twitch as if the lightning was still invading his body.

His cousin, the heir to the main family, was sitting by his side waiting for him to wake up. As he took in a series of shaky, shallow breaths, he realized that he was still at the training grounds lying under a tree on someone's sleeping bag, and by the looks of it, it was Lee's.

Hinata helped him to sit up and lean back on the trunk of the ash tree. Hinata handed him a bottle of water to drink from, but his hands shook so badly that it slipped out of his grip.

His cousin grabbed the bottle, using her good reflexes, and held the bottle for him while he drank. He wiped his mouth and continued his breathing exercises.

"Nii-san, will you be alright?" Hinata asked, her compassionate side kicking in.

"I'll be okay," Neji replied. "How long was I out for?"

"Um, for the entire day." She opened her mouth to say something else but close it again as a sign of her bashfulness, even though they had become close over the past two years.

"Hinata, whatever you have to say, just say it please."

"You had us very scared!" she wailed in her quiet tone of voice. "One minute you were executing a perfect jutsu and the next you were rolling on the ground, screaming in pain and your body was engulfed in lighting bolts. Lady Tsunade was furious! She was yelling at Yuri-sensei about how she wasn't supposed to use her S-class jutsu on you…" she faltered when Neji held up a finger to silence her.

"An S-class jutsu?" he asked incredulously. _I was hit by and S-class jutsu and lived to tell the tail?_ "So why am I still alive?"

Hinata cringed at his words and responded, "Only because Lady Sarutobi stopped the jutsu before it did permanent damage to your chakra network and body."

He stayed silent for a minute while he recollected his thoughts. The kunoichi with her dark hair whipping around her head as she appeared before them. The short, one-sided fight.

The pain.

He flinched at that thought and Hinata saw his reaction and got up swiftly and headed back towards the clearing, obviously thinking that it was an aftereffect of the fight. He closed his eyes and tiled his head back until it was resting against the tree. His eyes remained closed as he heard some more footsteps and hushed voices.

The humid breeze, well known in the Fire Country, began to blow and Neji tilted his face upward to catch the breeze. He felt so clam, so tranquil, but all that tranquility was lost by the sound of the Godaime's voice.

"Neji! Neji, are you alright? Which part of your body hurts?" Her voice was frantic, panicked as though someone life was in immediate danger. _Oh right mine_, he reminded himself.

He cracked open a lavender eye and was about to assure the Hokage that he was, in fact, not injured, when the said Hokage rounded on an equally menacingly looking kunoichi, who was wearing an insolent expression that no one dared to use on the quick tempered Hokage. It was a bold move in Neji's books, since she was challenging a woman who can destroy the entire training grounds by just stamping her stilettos.

"For the love of all things holy, you could have killed him Sarutobi! And stop looking at me with that attitude," the Hokage added, "If Neji had been killed by you jutsu, the Hyuga clan would definitely seek retribution from the council and the Raikage himself, who had been so _generous_ to grant you amnesty after everything you have done!"

Yuri's jaw twitched and Asuma, after taking one glance at his niece, intervened. "Lady Tsunade, out of all due respect…"

"Hold your tongue, Asuma Sarutobi!" snarled Tsunade. "The council of Sarutobi elders made their decision a long time ago to keep up with the clan's traditions, no matter how cruel they are. But times have changed! Yuri had been chosen to be the new Head of the Sarutobi clan and there is a code of conduct which is required that she practices. You are in no position to question my choice of words. You are just a subordinate jonin, no matter your skill level and experience, as opposed to your niece here who is probably more wanted that Kakashi here."

"But Lady Hokage…"

"No Asuma, she's right," said Yuri softly. "When I was allowed back into the village, the village elders had debated whether or not I would be treated in the village. Most of them, including our own clan's representatives, wanted to label me as a rouge ninja and have me under lockdown and my memories filtered through, cruelly, by ANBU information retrievers. But if it wasn't for Lady Tsunade and the clan elders of prominent families like the Hyuga clan," she sighed as she nodded towards Tsunade and Neji and Hinata, "I was granted my freedom, only under one condition – that I will not practice any S-class jutsu within the confines of the village walls. And by using my Lightning Release jutsu I'm already breaking that rule, and for that I am truly sorry." Yuri bowed towards a stunned Tsunade, who beyond doubt was not expecting that.

She straightened up and with the acknowledgment of the Hokage, moved towards Neji. She knelt down next to the seventeen year old Byakugan user and asked, "How are you feeling Neji?"

"I'll be alright. I've been through worse."

Yuri took his hand and monitored his pulse for a minute. "Your pulse is a bit slow and I'm sure that your reflexes will be as well. Just take it easy for the next couple of days and you'll be back to normal in no time."

"Thank you," Neji replied quietly and Hinata and Yuri both helped him to his feet. He was a bit unsteady and had to lean most of his weight on his cousin. Seeing this, Yuri motioned to two boys in the set. "Shikamaru and Rock Lee, please assist Lady Hinata and Mr. Hyuga here to return their living quarters."

Both boys nodded and helped Neji walk out of the training field with Hinata trailing behind them holding onto Lee's sleeping bag. As they disappeared into the darkness, Tsunade dismissed all of the young shinobi, telling them to get some rest and to report back here the following day for more training. Everyone left leaving Yuri and Tsunade alone in the clearing.

"Why didn't you tell them to return tomorrow?" inquired Yuri, clearly puzzled.

Tsunade turned towards the girl and replied, "Because the elders have indicated that your inauguration ceremony will be held tomorrow evening and you will need the day to prepare yourself."

Yuri groaned, "Great now I have to find a kimono. Marvelous!"

Tsunade smirked and said, "You're dismissed as well Yuri."

She nodded and 'poofed' disappearing in a lily petal shower. One lily petal drifted through the air and landed on Tsunade's palm.

_Hm, I wonder how Yuri and Naruto would get along,_ thought Tsunade as she disappeared in a cloud of smoke, returning to her office where she was sure Shizune had piled her desk with even more paperwork.


	7. Chapter 7: Confession & Chaos Erupts

To my readers - Sorry that I haven't reviewed sooner, 'cause i was ill. To shunie102, she will find out in due course, but a lot more is going to happen before that. So with that said i present to you chapter 7.

* * *

_**CHAPTER 7:**_

The door to Neji's room creaked open. Neji, who was usually a light sleeper, immediately woke up and tried to sit up. Every inch of his body seemed to protest as he leaned back on the cool metal bars of his head rest, breathing heavily.

The person who had entered his room sat on the edge of his bed, resting a pitcher of water and a clean glass on his bedside table and turned on his bedroom lamp. His room was flooded with a dim yellow light, which was emitted from his lamp, revealing the intruder to be none other than Natsumi, one of the members of a lower branch family, who took care of Neji after his father was killed.

She placed a cool hand on his sweaty forehead, while Neji just stared at her with his lavender eyes. After a moment, she removed her hand and activated her Byakugan. Her eyes roamed the extent of his body for a minute and the bulging veins framing her shrewd eyes disappeared. Her eyes shifted back to Neji's face and they just stared at each other.

For what seemed like minutes, the only sounds that were heard were his panting and the sounds of the night creatures, filtering through his open bedroom windows. Neji was getting frustrated that Natsumi had spoken a word and decided to speak.

"Well? What's my condition Natsumi?" he asked. Natsumi's gaze shifted from his face and reached for the pitcher of water and poured him a glass of water.

She handed him the glass and watched him sip from it. "When you arrived home _all_ of your chakra was depleted. You shocked us all that you were still able to move on your own," she paused when he stopped drinking and returned the glass to her, which she placed next to the pitcher. He closed his eyes and leaned his head on the bed head as she continued with her soft voice, "Hinata told us what happened. She said it was an S-class jutsu that did this to you." She paused again as if looking for some sort of confirmation from her ward, but seeing as that Neji had not responded, she continued, "Lord Hiashi and the elders were furious! Everyone was against _that _Sarutobi girl from returning to the village, but the Hokage didn't listen did she?" She said it so spitefully that Neji forced his eyes back open and they narrowed on the woman.

"Natsumi, it was an accident nothing more," he said sternly.

Natsumi cocked her head to the side and asked haughtily, "Oh was it? So why did she choose to use that jutsu on you, a Hyuga, and not any other of your comrades? You could have died Neji!"

"But I didn't, so drop it already!" he exclaimed, snarling at her. He didn't mean to but the pain had just struck him suddenly and he sucked in some more air before he stated, "And by the way, it was my fault. If I didn't challenge her then she wouldn't have tried to teach me a lesson."

Natsumi rolled her eyes and countered, "That still isn't an excuse for using a jutsu that can harm your subordinate _just to teach him a lesson_!" She exhaled and sighed, "I know that you've only been asleep for a couple of hours but your chakra signals are weaker than usual. Normally by this time you would have returned to full or almost full strength, but it's three in the morning and you not anywhere close."

Neji smiled slightly at the worried expression on her face and patted her hand, which resting on the bed next to his and said, "Natsumi, I'll be fine. You worry too much."

"Yeah, sure, and you will try telling Lord Hiashi that in the morning and hear the colorful response he will give you."

Neji grinned and Natsumi shook her head and rose from the bed. She poured another glass of water and set it on the small table and turned off the lights. Before she exited, she paused at the door and told Neji, "If you need anything, just call for me." Neji nodded and slid back down onto his bed as she close the door. It didn't take long for the Hyuga prodigy to slip back into a deep sleep.

Sunlight was barely filtering through the windows of the Hokage's office, when there was an abrupt knock on the door and Shizune entered frantically. Tsunade had, yet again, fallen asleep on the job and had jumped awake when she had heard Shizune, pacing in front of her desk while muttering strings of words and curses, which was not registering in the Hokage's half-asleep mind.

"What's wrong Shizune?" Tsunade asked yawning.

Shizune stopped abruptly in front of her, with an outraged expression on her face. "Lady Tsunade, weren't you listening to what I have been saying?" She didn't even wait for her mistress to make a comment before she burst out, "We have a problem! Two of the elders from the Sarutobi clan are here and they want to know why we're allowing Yuri to become head of the clan!"

That got Tsunade's attention. "What! Who the hell alerted them?" she yelled hysterically.

"We did Tsunade." The door opened wider revealing the two elders and councilors of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. "They have a right to know what you have unleashed onto this village," said Koharu Utatane, while Homura Mitokado nodded in agreement.

Tsunade stood up from her chair and scowled at them saying, "Unleashed? You both make it sound as if I've allowed a great terror on the village."

"Well in that girl's case she isn't to far off," Koharu retorted.

"Look you old bat," started Tsunade angrily, "as an S-class shinobi, _that girl_ would be able to join the ranks of our top jonin to help us protect her home from the snares of the growing threat. Or have you already forgotten that the Akatsuki are after Naruto? And once they learn that we are protecting him, they will get him at all costs!"

Homura knocked his walking stick impatiently on the floor. "Yes but that still does not give you the right to allow a banished Kunoichi back into the village without probing her mind of information…"

"Information on what?" Tsunade asked irritably, cutting the councilor of. "Yuri has been living in the Cloud village long enough to know the secrets of that place and its native jutsu and by extracting this information it can cause us to on the wrong side of the Raikage, himself!"

"So let me get this straight Tsunade," argued Koharu, "You don't want to know more about that Lightning style jutsu Yuri used against Mr. Hyuga?"

Tsunade was dumfounded. She opened her mouth only to close it again, obviously confused on how word of the little mishap the night before had already reached their ears.

"It was an accident and Neji Hyuga was not harmed," stated Tsunade calmly, but with a slight edge to her voice.

"Not harmed?" asked Koharu scandalously. "Lord Hyuga and his council have already informed us that Neji's chakra signals have been knocked out and he is in a great deal of pain. And they are demanding to knock what the hell they used on the boy!" Old Koharu frowned at Tsunade when she didn't answer immediately and she egged her on.

"Well Tsunade what was it? What was the name of the jutsu?"

"Electromagnetic Murder," replied Tsunade quietly.

Both Koharu and Homura gasped. "That's the last straw Tsunade," snapped Homura. "You will organize for her to have a session with an ANBU mind probing specialist of your choice and her inauguration ceremony, which was scheduled for tonight, will be postponed until further notice.

Both elders made their way to leave the Hokage's office, as Tsunade had refused to make a comment. Homura turned to face Tsunade before exiting saying, "Be warned! Yuri Sarutobi will not become head of the clan if she does not pass this examination."

The door closed with a bang and Tsunade sunk into her chair with her face in her hands.

"Shizune! Get in contact with Yuri and Asuma now!" she shouted to her assistant. "And bring me another bottle of sake!" she added just before the door closed.

Yuri woke up at the sound of someone trying to break her door down. She was lying on her couch since she was so tired she couldn't even walk up the stairs. She slowly got up and while rubbing the heel of her right palm in her eye to walked slowly and clumsily to the front door.

_Note to self_, she mumbled to herself, _do not use jutsus that can drain your chakra in one go_. She opened the door and cringed at the bright sunlight that was obscuring her vision. She didn't make out the visitor immediately it was only when he spoke then she realized who it was.

"Um, I … um," stuttered Asuma.

Yuri held her door open a little wider and she said while squinting her eyes as she looked up at the man, "Asuma what the hell are you doing at my house so goddamn early?" She rolled her eyes and gestured for her uncle, who acted more like her older brother, to follow her into the living room.

Asuma didn't follow her, but instead he cleared his throat uncomfortably. Yuri yawned and when she recognized that Asuma was not following her, she spun around and frowned at him. "What's the matter?" she asked as he was scratching his head in embarrassment.

"Well, you, um… you're not um," he stammered gesturing to her torso, causing her to look down at her body only to see her bare, toned stomach and black lace panties, which was (thank god!) covering everything that should not be revealed. Her upper body was still wrapped in her bindings from the day before, but during her sleep was slackened and it unraveled a bit showing a little too much cleavage. Her eyes widened with shock as she raised her head only to see Asuma's back turned to face her.

Yuri shrieked and ran to her room in top speed where she pulled off the bindings and tied her sleeping yukata tightly around her. She walked into her bathroom, where she splashed cold water onto her face. _No wonder Asuma was so freaked out!_

She took a deep breath and returned to the living room, still wiping her face. Asuma looked up at her with a grin on his face, "You must have been really out of it. Or do you always answer the door in your underwear?"

She sank in the arm chair opposite him, patting her neck daintily. "What's the matter Asuma? With that blush on your face, it's easy to assume that you haven't reached to second base with Kurenai, huh?" she said causing his blush to intensify.

But his blush died away, when he smirked and countered, "And you haven't with your jonin commander?"

The expression on Yuri's face turned to slight grief; an expression Asuma had never seen before. "Yuri what's wrong?" he asked and looked at him once again and walked towards her little kitchen.

He heard the clang of dishes and she called out, "Want some coffee Asuma?"

"Yeah thanks," he replied an entered the kitchen, only to see her staring out of the kitchen window shivering slightly with her back towards him.

"Yuri?" he said tentatively and she turned around only causing Asuma to be even more shocked than the fact he'd just seen her half naked; she was crying. But not obviously; one tear escaped the corner of her right eye and trickled down the side of her cheek.

They stood in silence for a moment and Yuri started to speak. "Why did you come here Asuma?"

"I came by to drop this off," he said slapping a coin bag full with 2000 ryo onto her counter top. "The Hokage send this, seeing that you need a formal kimono for your inauguration tonight." She nodded and poured them both a cup of hot black coffee each.

They sat in silence for a minute and then Asuma asked, "Why is it that Commander Hiroshima is such a touchy subject to you?"

She looked at Asuma and replied, "Two years ago when I was caught and my subordinates were either captured just like me or dead, Commander Daichi Hiroshima was in charge of sifting through my memories, looking for any shard of evidence to connect me to the mass murders of merchants traveling to and from Lightning Country. While he was doing that, he found out that I was the granddaughter to the Sandaime of Konohagakure no Sato. He was also the one responsible for helping me gain asylum in Kumo." She sighed and continued, while absentmindedly stirring her coffee, "If it wasn't for him, I probably would still be in that dictator's mind control. I was able to live a normal life, even though all of my childhood and adolescent experiences were taken away."

She got up from her seat and walked back to the open kitchen window, cradling her drink in both hand. "Asuma, do you know what it's like to love someone, only to have them taken away from you?"

Her question shocked him. He didn't know how to reply, but Yuri continued without waiting for an answer. She said with her back towards him, "You ask me what the jonin commander was to me Asuma and just because you are the closest thing to a father I still have, I owe you the right to tell you what really happened in Lightning country."

She spun around to face the shocked silent jonin. She placed her cup back onto the counter in front of her and reached around her neck to remove a thin gold chain that was always concealed from sight. It was removed slowly from her neck and, hanging from it, was a gold ring.

She dropped the ring onto Asuma's open palm. Asuma held the ring up to eyelevel when he noticed the inscription engraved into the precious metal.

He read it aloud, "_Two souls, one heart. Love always, D.H._"

Yuri's slender fingers took it from Asuma's hand and placed it on her left hand.

"Before his death, Daichi Hiroshima was my husband."

* * *

T.B.C


	8. Chapter 8: Accusations

_**Chapter 8:**_

Asuma was stunned. Correction: Stunned was an understatement. This was something he had never expected. When his father was still alive, he was keeping tabs on Yuri by sending ANBU operatives on recon missions in Kumo. From what information the Third Hokage had received, he knew that Yuri had an amnesty with the Raikage and she was living like a normal A-class shinobi in the Hidden Cloud Village and he had understood that it was suspected that she was in a relationship with her jonin commander, but he definitely didn't expect her to _marry_ the man.

Asuma frowned and took a sip of his coffee in front of him while watching his niece's hand with a piercing glare. Yuri shifted uncomfortably waiting for the axe to fall; Daichi Hiroshima had killed many Leaf shinobi since the both villages were not allies. Asuma tightened his grip on the ceramic cup causing it to break suddenly in his hand. Yuri jumped back from the counter to avoid the hot spray from the drink, now spewing onto her usually pristine countertop, and ceramic splinters.

"Asuma don't do that!" she scolded, while hunting for a kitching towel. "I just bought that yesterday."

"Damn it Yuri! Do you know what the hell you've done?" he growled at her.

"What I've done?" she asked skeptically.

"Yes what you've done," he snarled banging his fist on the countertop. "Now the elders won't make you the head of our clan because _you're Hiroshima's wife_!"

"That shouldn't be a problem, 'cause he's dead for Kami's sake! I'm a fricking widow, Asuma," she hurled at him as though it should hurt him as much as it pained her to admit. "I'm no longer tied to the Hiroshima clan of the Hidden Cloud village. When I left that village I had severed all ties to that family, to that shinobi village." She flung the wash cloth on the ground, allowing a single crystal tear to fall from the corner of her eyes. "I left my home, my family, to return to this fricking place for what? To be ridiculed by the elders; by you, my so-called family!

Yuri stalked around the counter to Asuma's side, only to stand in front of him, her eyes boring into his own and Asuma felt the rage radiating off of his niece, and just for those few seconds, he saw the rage and passion in her flaming eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me anything about this?" he asked after a moment of silence had passed between them. "Does the Hokage know?"

"No she doesn't," Yuri replied with a sharp edge to her tone. "And as for not telling you, I didn't think that it would be important.

Asuma opened his mouth to retort but was interrupted when two ANBU operatives materialized inside of the house, in front of them.

"We're sorry to barge in like this, Asuma-san, Yuri-san, but the Hokage requests your presence immediately," said the masked shinobi.

Yuri tugged at the collar of her yukata and shoved her left hand into her pocket. "Why does she want us this early?" she asked.

"That is confidential ma'am. We were just instructed to escort you to the Hokage Tower," replied the ANBU operative, indifferently.

Asuma glanced at the younger Sarutobi's state of dress, or lack there of. He turned to the shinobi elite and requested, "Lady Sarutobi has to get a change of clothes, so you can leave…"

"My orders were to escort you _both_ Asuma, so we will both wait," the second ANBU said, cutting Asuma off.

Without saying another word, Yuri turned on her heels and ran upstairs to her bedroom, where she flung on her jonin attire. She returned within two minutes (she had learned to dress quickly while she was working under Moriko) while fastening her headband around her forehead. Asuma and the two ANBU were still in her kitchen; her laidback uncle was smoking a cigarette and dropping ash onto her pristine counter while shooting questioning glances at the two sentries.

The room was hazy due to the smoke the cigarette was emitting and just as Asuma raised the half-lit butt to his lips, Yuri gave him her famous death stare causing him to out it on the ceramic counter. But this only gained him another furious look from the kunoichi who looked as though she was about to commit murder. Asuma knew that she hated seeing anyone in her family smoking and when she was a child she used to hide her grandfather's pipe.

The ANBU operative cleared his throat sensing the tension in the room and he and his partner led the way outside the Sarutobi clan house. Even while running at breakneck speed to the Hokage's office, Yuri pulled back slightly to level with Asuma.

"Look I know you're annoyed with me about smoking kid," he drawled before Yuri could even speak her mind.

"Never mind that! What the hell are two ANBU black ops doing at my house so goddamn early?" she whispered hastily.

"I have no idea," Asuma responded. "If Lady Tsunade wanted to see us why didn't she tell me to summon you this morning instead of making me your money handler?"

Yuri didn't answer but kept her eyes fixated on the building they were fast approaching.

* * *

The sight before her was not pretty. Yuri knew that Tsunade's temper was legendary, but when mixed with sake, that was another story. When she and Asuma strode into the office behind their escorts, the first thing that Yuri sensed was the tension in the room. It was so thick that it was almost tangible. But to what or who Tsunade was growling at she didn't know.

She sent a calculated glance in Asuma's direction, only to have her uncle nod in the direction of three figures standing in the corner. Three figures that she had not noticed before, since one of the ANBU operatives was obscuring her view. She shifted slightly to the left so that she could see people who were stupid enough to piss off the Hokage after she had indulged in her morning sake.

There was two old men and one woman, standing in ancient robes that her grandfather had adopted when he became too old spar with his sons, Asuma and her father before him; the same type of robes, he remembered with a jolt, that she was so accustomed hanging onto when she got tired of holding his hand. The sunlight filtering through the open windows cast some light on one of the men and the woman, whose chakra felt so similar to her grandfather's.

Yuri gasped at turned to Asuma, "Is that who I think it is?"

Asuma sighed lazily and nodded, but his brown eyes stared fixated at the two people. They were both frowning regally at Tsunade; something that they had been doing for decades.

"Well she's here you old bat!" snarled the Hokage. "Now you can tall to the girl yourself."

The woman turned to face Yuri with a scowl on her face that mirrored the Hokage, and it was then Yuri stepped out in clear view of the party.

"Koharu Utatane," whispered Yuri. "You've gotten old, woman."

"Sayuri Sarutobi," said Koharu, her eyebrows furrowed together while taking in the kunoichi's appearance.

Yuri scoffed at her and said, "I guess you're suffering from Alzheimer's too. I don't use that name anymore.

"Oh we know that my dear," answered the old man standing next to her, who she remembered as Homura Mitokado. "But as you said before we are old, and old habit die hard."

Yuri snorted pompously and stepped forward to face them square on, just as Asuma squeaked in protest. "What are you two doing here? Still annoying the heck outta Tsunade I see."

"Hm something never change," grunted out Tsunade before taking another swig from her sake bottle, ignoring Shizune's quiet warning.

"We are just here to remind Tsunade that she was allowed an outsider to take residence in Konohagakure no Sato…"

"Now wait here," Asuma started, "I know what you are going to say. Yuri is a citizen of Konoha and she has always been."

"You will hold your tongue Asuma Sarutobi!" commanded Homura.

"Why should I Homura-san?" growled Asuma.

"Because you have no say in the matter," said the third man who was almost but not forgotten by the gathering. He turned to face Yuri, just like Koharu and Homura did, forcing a gasp from her.

"You!" growled Asuma. He glanced sideways at his niece to gauge her reaction, but she was unusually calm.

"Elder Sarutobi," she said with a smirk. "You look…"

"Well," Asuma responded.

"Actually Asuma, I was going for ancient. With that grey hair and the more defined slouch, I almost thought that you were Enma," said Yuri, ignoring the fact that Asuma's elbow was nudging her, warning her to stay quiet.

"I see you've still got that saucy mouth of yours that your grandfather tolerated. I guess some people never grow up."

Yuri gnashed her teeth before answering, "I could have sworn that I'd read your obituary, ages ago, you mummy."

"I wouldn't have expected anything less from the traitor who manipulated an enemy jonin commander to try an assassinate me," shrugged Elder Sarutobi, arrogantly. Asuma could hear the sound of grinding dentine from the kunoichi next to him as the previous head of the Sarutobi clan continued. "Imagine this," he said with his arms outstretched as he lectured the crowd before him while pointedly ignoring the fiery look Yuri was glaring into his face. "The Jonin Commander, Daichi Hiroshima, leaving the Hidden Cloud, a village I might add that we have been on good terms with after the unfortunate event with the Hyuga Clan, to attack me – an insignificant retired clan elder, vacationing with my family in Tanzaku Gai."

Tsunade rolled her amber eyes and shouted irritant, "What the hell are you babbling about?"

Asuma raised an eyebrow as Yuri swore under her breath. "Yuri, what the hell is he talking about?"

"I don't believe…. He didn't…." Yuri stuttered as she recalled in her mind the following month after she got married.

* * *

_Flashback_

_The first thing that woke her was the metallic scent of blood followed by her husband's ungainly footfalls through the front door and crashing on the living room couch. She flew down the staircase in only her nightgown to the place where Daichi had collapsed. She placed a cool hand on his forehead. The touch stimulated his optical muscles and his eyes fluttered open. _

"_Sorry to wake you babe," he whispered as Yuri placed two fingers on his pulse._

"_Trust me; your smell was enough to wake me," she replied causing her lover to chuckle. This was a bad reflex though, since he pressed a bloody hand to his torso and groaned in pain. _

"_Daichi you idiot! I thought that it was a simple recon mission," Yuri scolded. "You should have gone straight to hospital, you stubborn fool."_

"_I know, but I just had to tell you that everything that had caused you strife in the past… it's all over…"_

_

* * *

_"That's what he was talking about," Yuri whispered frantically to herself. "The fool! I thought he was delirious…"

"Yuri is what Elder Sarutobi saying correct?" asked Koharu.

"I…."

"You see!" shouted Elder Sarutobi. "She did order him to kill me!"

"That's a lie!" shouted Yuri.

"The only person allowed to 'give orders' is the leader of the village himself, in this case the Raikage," said Homura stroking his goatee.

"So what are presuming? That the Raikage ordered a hit on old man Sarutobi?" asked Tsunade skeptically. "Do you understand what you are assuming Elder Sarutobi?"

"Yes! This girl must be tried and hanged for attempted murder and treason!"

Tsunade was starting to lose her patience. The sake bottle in her hand shattered as she clenched her fist and applied a small amount of chakra, unintentionally of course, into the glass, causing splinters to fly across the room and her assistant to shriek. She had finally achieved the silence she had been craving ever since the three elders stormed her office at daybreak.

"Good. Now that I've _finally_ gotten everyone's attention, we need to decide how to proceed with this," the Godaime started. "The past head of the Sarutobi clan as brought up some allegations against the person next in line to receive this title. The only candidate, I might add, that is suitable for this position," she added pointedly to Elder Sarutobi, who immediately started to scowl.

"As Hokage, I'm supposed to be unbiased in my rulings, so as much as it pains me to do this," she turned to the ANBU operative wearing the raccoon mask, "Tanuki, summon Ibiki Morino to the Jonin headquarters immediately.

With a nod, the ANBU operative disappeared from sight. Tsunade continued, "I'm very sorry for this Yuri. I know that I had promised to keep your past life a secret, but under the circumstances, we all need to know the truth."

Asuma opened his mouth to speak but Yuri cut him off. "It's ok, Lady Tsunade. I understand. Everything in my mind will not be secret anymore but I assure you," she added directing her words to Elder Sarutobi, "I will prove you wrong and I will take what is rightfully mine!"

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Hope you all enjoy this chapter!


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